Chinese Commanding Officer Was Killed In Galwan Valley Clashes With Indian Army; China Admits During Talks

While there have been various speculations over the confirmed number of Chinese troops killed in the Galwan Valley's clashes between India and China on 15 June, it has now been confirmed by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) that one of its commanding officer was among the dead.

During the military talks between the officials of the Indian Army and the PLA last week, it was corroborated by the Chinese side that one of their CO had died in the brawl, the Economic Times said in this report. This becomes the first admission by China of any fatality of their troops.

According to sources attributed in the report, the information was also passed on to various political leaders by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the all party-meet last week.

In the first deadly clash in decades between the two nations, India had lost 20 of its soldiers of 16 Bihar Regiment, including its commanding officer Colonel Santosh Babu.

However, Indian officials have claimed that at least 40 Chinese troops were also killed in the brawl that took place near Galwan river at an altitude of 15,000 feet.

Indian and Chinese armies have been locked in a tense stand-off at three points along the Line of Actual Control — the Galwan River Valley, Hot Springs area and the Pangong Lake — since early May.

However, on the night of 15 June, Indian and Chinese troops clashed with each other using stones, sticks and clubs in eastern Ladakh.

Since the clash, rounds of talks have taken place at the border to defuse tensions between the nuclear-powered nations.